Vaccines and diagnostic tools for animal health: the influence of biotechnology

Development of improved vaccine and diagnostic-based disease control strate gies has benefited considerably from advances in biotechnology, particularl y those relating to recombinant DNA technology. Efficiency of the vaccine d evelopment process has been increased at all levels, from the analysis of i mmune responses to the production and delivery of protective antigens to th e target species. Serological analysis of antibody prevalence has also beco me more straightforward as a result of the availability of recombinant path ogen proteins. However, greatest advances arising from biotechnological dev elopment relate to the detection and characterisation of pathogens in infec ted hosts. Probably the most significant development in this regard, which impacts both vaccine and diagnostic development, is the polymerase chain re action. With the advent of DNA-based antigen delivery vehicles, it is conce ivable that protein-based vaccine and diagnostic systems will have been sup erseded by DNA-based systems by the middle of the 21st century. (C) 1999 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.